Welcome to today’s interview with Claudia Toggweiler, the lead of enScène Arts Management and an accomplished cultural manager, mentor, and dance photographer. We have the privilege of exploring her diverse expertise in the arts. Let’s begin by discussing her mentoring program.

 

Claudia, could you tell us more about your mentoring program for young performers in dance? What inspired you to create this program, and what are your goals for the participants?

 

The birth of this idea takes me back to the beginning of my professional career as a dancer. After my studies at the «Académie de danse classique Princesse Grace» in Monaco and starting my first company contract in Genève I had to overcome many practical difficulties on my own. Presenting a highly professional application letter, CV, pictures and videos, and other necessary documents were just part of the whole process. This feeling of needing guidance when starting into the professional dance world followed most of the young dancers back than and I couldn’t but notice a similar situation with the newest generations. So I started putting together all the missing elements of this very complicated puzzle and with time a clear picture appeared, with a well-structured program and concrete steps towards a successful transition not only from student to young professional dancer but also an excellent preparation for what follows after a dancers stage career comes to an end.

 

You mentioned that one of the focal points of your mentorship is preparing dancers for auditions. How do you personally coach and assist your mentees in showcasing their skills and making the best possible impression during auditions?

 

Thanks to my years of experience in the art industry and among others as a ballet teacher and trainee mentor at the Zurich university of the arts (ZHdK) I have had the chance to gather the necessary expertise in order to provide not only a general overview but a very detailed list of what is needed nowadays for a successful outcome in an audition. Starting from private ballet classes with specific preparatory exercises to showing the strongest qualities in the right light with proper videos, pictures and a CV we craft together with the dancer a highly professional dossier. 

 

In addition to her mentoring program, Claudia has a passion for capturing the beauty and grace of dance through her photography. Let’s explore this aspect of her artistic career. As a former dancer yourself, your dance photography allows you to preserve the art of movement in a single frame. Could you share more about your journey as a dance photographer and what drew you to capture this ephemeral art form?

 

Capturing the moment, the emotion and the atmosphere of a choreography started as a passion and personal need. My experience as a dancer and teacher turned out to be that extra quality that makes me know where exactly to look and which moment, which angle and which specific position has the best lines, expression and emotion. Now capturing the “momentum” has become as natural as breathing.

 

It’s remarkable that you have had the privilege of photographing renowned choreographers and dancers. Can you share some memorable experiences or challenges you encountered while photographing these talented individuals?

 

Every performer is different. My personal perspective gets as close as possible to the most intimate side of the dancer. We develop a deep relationship allowing them to feel comfortable and me to capture the essence of the moment that can range from glorious classical ballet poses to fragile human emotions.

 

 Anna Ol in the choreography «On The Nature of Daylight» by David Dawson


On the 22nd and the 23rd of September I will be taking pictures of the “Homage to ballet” gala in Theater 11 in Zurich where worldwide ballet stars such as Iana Salenko, Polina Semionova and Friedmann Vogel among many other fantastic dancers will be performing breathtaking choreographies. Some of my pictures will be made public shortly after so that you get the possibility to fully experience my work and travel through the pictures to the memories of the live performance as well as compare the view from the audience to my close encounter with the artist.

 

Iana Salenko & Marian Walter in the choreography «Diamonds» by George Balanchine

 

Claudia’s photography has received recognition through prestigious awards and exhibitions. Let’s discuss these achievements and the impact they have had. First, Congratulations on your successes in various photography awards and exhibitions! How have these accolades influenced your work and recognition within the industry?

 

I feel honored to be appreciated worldwide. It is a great support and it brings me joy knowing that my art gets such a positive feedback not only from dancers and choreographers I work with but also from professional critic and audience. I guess in the future I will be traveling a little more.

 

Your photography has been exhibited at prominent venues, including Zurich Main Station and photoSCHWEIZ – the largest photography exhibition in Switzerland. Can you describe your process of curating and selecting your dance photography for these exhibitions?

 

Photo exhibitions are mostly build by an expert curator. My work is chosen following a jury decisions in case of a competition or it is the curator that contacts me asking for a specific work. You can find some of the pictures that got exhibited on my website: enscene.ch/photography And I have some great news: A full photo exhibition of my works is in the programming phase. More information will be made official soon.

 

 

Sarah-Jane Brodbeck & Arshak Ghalumyan in the choreography «Unreachable places» by Jiří Bubeníček  

 

Now, let’s return to Claudia’s mentoring program and delve deeper into its personalized approach. You mentioned tailoring your mentoring program to individual dancers. How do you analyze strengths and weaknesses, and what specific everyday exercises do you recommend to help dancers improve?

 

It all starts with connecting with each other. It is of utmost importance to get to know the dancer, as a dancer and as a human with all the qualities and expectations. Whether the goal is an audition, an intensive course or an application for a professional ballet school I prepare a concrete plan to supply to the necessities of the mentee. I do as well rely on a great team of experts and consultants to make sure that the plan has the highest standard in all of its parts. In today’s digital age, creating a strong first impression is crucial. How do you approach creating professional dance pictures, videos, and a modern Curriculum Vitae for your mentees? An important part of my network is a relatively long list of ballet school and company directors and their feedback was crucial for the purpose of understanding better the requirements of a proper CV, presentation letter or video. A good first impression is the key to getting an invitation for the audition and a chance of delivering the knowledge acquired in the mentoring process. My part consists in being constantly up to date with the latest tendencies and trends in the matter of application processes and digital competence.

 

Finally, let’s wrap up the interview by discussing the broader impact of dance photography and Claudia’s perspectives on its significance. In your experience, how does dance photography contribute to the appreciation and documentation of dance as an art form? What unique qualities do you believe photography brings to the portrayal of dance?

 

Dance photography is for me more than mere documentation of an event. We all know how sometimes a particular fragrance can make us go back to a forgotten moment of our past or relive intense emotions. My aim is very similar: in one eyeblink you can embrace the colors, hear the music and feel the warmth of the stage lights and therefore be transported to a different world and have your spirit elevated. Shouldn’t that be the ultimate goal of all the arts?

 

 

Yeva Hrytsak & Giacomo Mori in the choreography «Under the sway of thy gentle wings» by Seh Yun Kim

 

 

Before we conclude, could you share a collaboration you’ve had with dancers or choreographers to create specific concepts or narratives through your photography?

 

I can do better and give you something to look forward to: my upcoming art exhibition will consist of choreography, music and a very special narrative. Sounds cool no?

 

 Polina Semionova in the choreography «Cinque» by Mauro Bigonzetti

 

Thank you, Claudia, for sharing your valuable insights and experiences as a cultural manager, mentor, and dance photographer. It’s been a pleasure to explore your multifaceted career.